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“But, no. They get all the werewolf stuff wrong, too. I just find it amusing. Let me show you my favorite part,” he says, taking a seat and flipping through the book.
I don't know what comes over me, but as I settle next to him, I say, “Why don't you read it to me?”
The idea of the steamy romance read aloud in Archie’s voice does funny things to my insides, and I want to scoot over closer to him. I’m a librarian, and no one takes on this admittedly poorly paying career if they don’t love books. I love reading them, listening to them, and seeing them acted out.
As he flips through the paperback, my heart races. And as he starts to read from the beginning of chapter nine, butterflies erupt in my stomach, and I can’t help scooting closer on the couch. His voice is deep and rich, and perfect for the story. He would make an amazing audiobook narrator.
Somehow, I'm even more attracted to the man than I was before. I can barely pay attention to what he is saying. My gaze keeps drifting to his lips and his hands grazing the pages.
I've already read the book, so I know exactly where the scene is going. Archie does too, and his cheeks flush. The scene doesn't even get heated before he suddenly stops, his fingers resting lightly on the page.
Our eyes meet, and it's like we can't pull away. I don't know who leans in first, but suddenly the poor library book drops to the carpeted floor and we're reaching for each other.
When Archie's lips touch mine, it's like an explosion of fireworks. The kiss is a thousand times better than our first, which shouldn't even be possible, but somehow it is. His lips are soft and gentle on mine, but I can feel his fangs, a reminder that I’m kissing a vampire. Somehow, that only turns me on more.
Archie’s arms slide around me, and I moan and grab the front of his suit jacket and hold on for dear life. I want the kiss to last forever, but as suddenly as we are together, Archie is pulling back.
He slides back on the couch, putting distance between us, and I can’t help but feel hurt. Am I a terrible kisser? Did I misread his signals?
Archie
My hormones are raging like a teenager, and I want nothing more than to ravish Janet right here in the middle of the library. Which is why I put distance between us, even though it’s the last thing I want.
I can see the hurt in Janet’s eyes, but I need a minute to think. I haven’t wanted a woman like this in a long time. Hell, an hour ago, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to live to see another day.
I’m terrified that I’m falling for the woman in front of me when we’ve only just met. It shouldn’t be possible. I’ve heard of tales of fated mates, but only among the werewolves I’ve read about in books. Not real vampires, such as myself.
I brush her long hair back from her face, and her stomach growls. Her cheeks heat, and I smile at how absolutely adorable this woman looks.
“Let me make you breakfast,” I say, meeting her beautiful blue eyes.
“You need to eat?” she asks, a frown line forming between her eyebrows.
I want to smooth it out. “Need? No. But vampires have enhanced taste buds, and I enjoy food.” I shrug. “And I love to cook.”
“What are enhanced taste buds? Do you mean everything tastes too salty or—”
“No. Everything tastes… better. I think it’s the only reason I still wish to eat. I’ve…” I trail off before I admit that I’ve lost interest in everything else, including living.
In all the time I’ve been on this earth, I’ve seen everything there was to see and done everything there was to do. Hell, I sired vampires, built a kingdom, and reigned as their king.
I’ve done everything I thought I wanted to do, and I was sure I was done with life. But Janet makes me feel alive just by sitting here, on the couch in her library. I want to experience everything with her. To see her eyes light up with joy at every new place we see, every moment we share. I can’t believe I just met this woman, and I’m already thinking about such things.
“Breakfast sounds good,” she says with a small smile. “The kitchen’s downstairs.”
“Why don’t you stay up here and relax while I cook?” I ask, handing her the paperback.
“Are you sure? I could help.”
I force myself to shake my head. “I’ll manage.”
“In that case, I do have some work to do,” she says.
I look around the empty library, and she grins.
“I don’t mean around here. But that’s part of the problem. Which is why I signed up for a training seminar from the ALA.”
I rack my brain to figure out what the acronym stands for, but she beats me to it.
